====== Finger Server ======

A finger server is a daemon that answers finger protocol queries (port 79), returning a user's ''.plan'' and ''.project'' files to anyone who asks. Running one makes your ''.plan'' reachable from outside the machine.

===== On Tilde Servers =====

[[tilde:start|tilde.town]] and [[tilde:pink|tilde.pink]] both run a finger daemon: no setup needed. Your ''~/.plan'' is served automatically:

<code bash>
finger you@tilde.town
finger you@tilde.pink
</code>

===== Self-Hosting =====

**fingerd** (classic, OpenBSD/NetBSD standard) or **finger2000** for modern Linux.

Minimal setup with ''fingerd'' (inetd-based):
<code bash>
sudo apt install fingerd
# add to /etc/inetd.conf:
# finger stream tcp nowait nobody /usr/sbin/tcpd /usr/sbin/in.fingerd
sudo service inetd restart
</code>

Verify:
<code bash>
finger youruser@localhost
</code>

===== What Gets Served =====

  * ''~/.plan'': what you're working on (free-form text)
  * ''~/.project'': one-line current project description
  * Login name, real name (from ''chfn''), last login time

See [[terminal:shell:plan|.plan and .project]] for what to write.

===== See Also =====

  * [[terminal:shell:plan|.plan and .project]]
  * [[protocols:finger:start|Finger Protocol]]
  * [[tilde:start|tilde.town]]
  * [[tilde:pink|tilde.pink]]
  * [[protocols:start|Return to protocols]]